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Glen Canyon NRA Finalizes Off-Road Vehicle Management Plan


PAGE, Ariz. - Glen Canyon National Recreation Area has finalized regulations related to the use of off-road vehicles (ORV) in the Recreation Area. The Final Regulations were published in the Federal Register Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR) (https://www.govinfo.gov/link/fr/86/3813) and became effective today, Feb. 16.

"National Recreation Areas provide unique opportunities for people to enjoy America's public lands in a wide variety of ways. Our intent with these regulations is to provide access for people seeking exploration and fun with off-road vehicles while promoting safety and ensuring protection of the cultural resources, plants and animals that make Glen Canyon so special," said Superintendent William Shott. "We appreciate the extensive collaboration with our partners and the public, which helped us successfully achieve the right balance of use and preservation."

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is increasing recreational access by:

Authorizing street-legal ORV use on most paved and unpaved park roads in the park
Permitting access to 14 accessible shorelines, including Lone Rock Beach and Play Area
Formalizing 21 miles of user-created routes as official ORV routes

The plan promotes visitor safety and resource protection by:

Creating a permitting system for most off-road use and collecting fees to fund relevant education, partnership, enforcement, monitoring and mitigation efforts
Closing certain trails in ecologically sensitive areas and during certain times of the year
Requiring users to display a safety flag in certain high-use areas of the park and establishing speed limits for all vehicles on unpaved roads

Federal law requires any unit of the National Park Service allowing ORV use to develop special regulations addressing that use. The proposed regulations were published in the Federal Register on Feb. 27, 2018 and were available for public comment through April 30, 2018. The park received more than 6,000 public comments, which informed the final special regulations published in the Federal Register. Throughout the planning process, the National Park Service consulted with cooperating agencies, elected officials, tribes and the Arizona and Utah State Historic Preservation Officers. The NPS also invited public comment while evaluating the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (released in Jan. 2014) and the Final Environmental Impact Statement (released in Jan. 2017).


For additional information about the plan or to obtain a copy, visit: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/glca-orvplan. Information about ORV use at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area will also be available at https://www.nps.gov/glca/planyourvisit/off-road-vehicles.htm.

Photo: ORV use in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. NPS Photo.

More information is available on each park's website: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area or Rainbow Bridge National Monument
 
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